Frequently Asked Questions

No. Library devices use Deep Freeze to restrict data from being saved to the hard drive. All of your work will be lost when the device is shut down. You must save your work to cloud-based services or to an external drive.

East Asian Library:
8 standing workstations, two each floor. They are for library catalog search only.

Engineering Library:
2 standing-height desks with high stools, but people can also stand at them.

Environmental Design Library:
A standing bar by the bound periodicals. It's at a fixed standing height and has lots of electrical access. 2 accessible desks that can be raised or lowered. 1 of the desks has a computer.

Yes, it's true! The Graphic Arts Loan Collection (GALC) is a collection of framed, original lithographs, etchings,and woodblock prints, that UCB students, faculty and staff may borrow for their dorm room, home or office. Please see the GALC website for more information.

The Start your search tool on the Library homepage will search many library-licensed article databases as well as OskiCat and other important library collections. It doesn’t include everything though, and we encourage more advanced researchers to use the subject-specific databases that best represent their research topic.

Yes, you can submit online requests for circulating items available at one campus library to be retrieved and held for pick-up at the Circulation Desk of that library or another campus library of your choice.

What is online paging?
A "page" is a request for library staff to retrieve library items from our stacks and have them held for you at a Circulation Desk.

Who can place a page?
Anyone who can check out items from the UC Berkeley Libraries can place a page request (i.e., all current patrons with borrowing privileges). Anyone with an active UCB Library borrowing card (UCB faculty, staff, and students with current IDs, but also alumni and others who have purchased cards) may request library materials.

How do I request a page from a UC Berkeley Library?
Click the Request button at the top of the item's record in OskiCat. Then log into MyOskiCat and follow the prompts.

What items can I have paged?
You may request non-reserve items that can be checked out of a library for more than two days. Sorry, we cannot page items from Reference, Rare Books, Reserves or non-circulating items (such as items whose status reads "Missing," or “Library Use Only"). You will know if an item can be paged by the presence or absence of a Request button on the OskiCat record or by the “No Requestable Items Are Available” message.

What if the item is checked out?
If the item is checked out, you can still use the Request link or button. We will recall the item from the patron who has it checked out, who will then have a week to return the item. When the item is returned, we will notify you that it is ready to be picked up. We will keep the item on hold at the Circulation Desk for you for 7 days.

You may also be able to request books that are checked-out or unavailable at UC Berkeley using Melvyl or our ILL Service.

How many items can I request to be paged?
UC Berkeley faculty and staff can have up to 40 total holds/pages/recalls at a time; alumni and others who have purchased borrowing privileges can have up to 20 holds/pages/recalls. Undergraduates are allowed up to 20 holds/pages/recalls. Additional requests are canceled by the system.

How long will it take to process my request?
Requests generally will be fulfilled within 3 business days. If you need an item sooner than three business days, you should go directly to the owning library and check it out in person.

How will you notify me when my item is ready?
The library will send you an email notification when the item you requested is ready to be picked up at the Circulation Desk. We will also notify you if your request is canceled. Requests may be canceled for a variety of reasons, such as when the item can't be located in the library, the item cannot be checked out to you, or you have exceeded your item request limit. Communication is by email, so check your library record to make sure the email address we have on file for you is correct.

How long will the item be held for me?
Items are kept on hold shelves for seven days, beginning on the date you receive our email notice that it is ready for pickup. After seven days the item is returned to the stacks or made available to another patron who may have placed a hold on it.

Go to Housing Cashier's Office, located on the second floor at 2610 Channing Way to add money to your Cal1Card debit account in person. Accepted forms of payment are cash, check, and credit card. Hours of operation are 10:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. For questions, call (510) 642-1524 or e-mail hsgcashiers@housing.berkeley.edu.